Author Topic: Poles  (Read 2485 times)

Owen

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Re: Poles
« Reply #15 on: 20:41:08, 12/04/19 »
Nordic style you don't grip the pole, you keep the hand open. The pole swings from the strap, dragons are more comfortable but a pain to put on.

astaman

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Re: Poles
« Reply #16 on: 21:41:01, 12/04/19 »
I use at least one walking pole all the time. On long walks, particularly where the going is good and I can keep up a good rhythm, I use two poles. On rougher ground I use one to give me a third point of contact with the ground for stability. Anyway, walking just doesn't seem right without a stick or pole in my hand.

fernman

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Re: Poles
« Reply #17 on: 22:50:13, 12/04/19 »
I quite appreciated the absence of the traditional wrist loops.

You need the loops so you can do lots of things such as look at your map, take a photo, use your hands for a brief bit of scrambling, (ladies look away now) have a leak, etc., without totally letting go of your poles.
I find that when  I do remove my hands from the loops and lean the poles against something like a bush, tree trunk, seat, my torso even, nine times out of ten one or both of them will fall onto the ground so that I have to stoop to pick it/them up.

ninthace

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Re: Poles
« Reply #18 on: 23:01:56, 12/04/19 »
You need the loops so you can do lots of things such as look at your map, take a photo, use your hands for a brief bit of scrambling, (ladies look away now) have a leak, etc., without totally letting go of your poles.
I find that when  I do remove my hands from the loops and lean the poles against something like a bush, tree trunk, seat, my torso even, nine times out of ten one or both of them will fall onto the ground so that I have to stoop to pick it/them up.
My Pacerpoles come have adjustable bungee cords that allow you to do hang your poles from your wrists the same as normal poles. The advantage of the design is that because the wrist loops are not load bearing when walking you don’t get any rubbing on the skin between your finger and thumb or across the back of your wrist. On long days with conventional poles I have ended up close to blisters on these areas in rough country.
Solvitur Ambulando

fernman

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Re: Poles
« Reply #19 on: 11:16:45, 13/04/19 »
My Pacerpoles come have adjustable bungee cords that allow you to do hang your poles from your wrists the same as normal poles. The advantage of the design is that because the wrist loops are not load bearing when walking you don’t get any rubbing on the skin between your finger and thumb or across the back of your wrist. On long days with conventional poles I have ended up close to blisters on these areas in rough country.
You have my sympathies, because in 20+ years of using poles I have never suffered from anything like that.

Skip

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Re: Poles
« Reply #20 on: 11:20:20, 13/04/19 »
There's a huge amount of info about choosing and using walking poles here:
https://medphys.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/gear/poles/poles1.html


Probably the most useful and informative website on the subject of poles.
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phil1960

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Re: Poles
« Reply #21 on: 12:05:18, 13/04/19 »
Leki poles for me when I use them, excellent quality and light with no issues at all with the strap. My other half uses Karrimor carbon poles which we bought a few years ago for £30, superb value and standing the test of time.
There is a local Nordic walking group that use the country park where we walk the dog and I got talking to the group leader about her poles, she was very dismissive about walking poles saying that her Nordic poles were and I quote, “the rolls Royce” of all poles, walking or otherwise”, I politely disagreed and left her to her class on the site of an old colliery.
Touching from a distance, further all the time.

Dread

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Re: Poles
« Reply #22 on: 18:20:41, 13/04/19 »
A good wide strap is fairly essential imho. Used properly any downward pressure on the pole is cushioned by the strap under your wrist, easing the pressure on your fingers. Walking this way means no 'death grip' is needed on the handle at all.

 

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